MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing for a major overhaul of the Philippine school calendar, proposing a transition to a trimester system starting in School Year 2026-2027.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced the initiative on Friday, February 13, 2026, stating that the reform is designed to provide “longer, uninterrupted periods of learning” while simultaneously easing the administrative burden on teachers. The proposal follows recommendations from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom2).
Proposed Trimester Framework The new system would distribute 201 school days across three distinct academic terms:
- First Trimester: June to September.
- Second Trimester: September to December.
- Third Trimester: January to late March.
Each trimester will consist of an Instructional Block (54–61 days) dedicated to core teaching and a subsequent Enrichment Block for remediation, grade computation, teacher professional development, and wellness breaks.
“Low-Disruption” Strategy A key component of the reform is the elimination of whole-day events for mandated celebrations and observances. Instead, DepEd plans to implement “low-disruption alternatives” where cultural and national events are integrated directly into classroom lessons:
- National themes will be incorporated into reading materials, writing exercises, and science discussions.
- Short in-class reflections will replace day-long programs that typically suspend academic instruction.
- This move aims to fix the problem of “compressed instructional time” caused by frequent calendar interruptions.
Benefits for Teachers and Students Secretary Angara highlighted that the trimester pacing allows for better lesson delivery and more flexible instruction. Scheduled breaks between terms are intended to give teachers dedicated time for assessment and planning, preventing the common practice of prioritizing administrative compliance over classroom teaching.
Next Steps DepEd is currently conducting consultations with teachers, school leaders, and other stakeholders. Formal policy guidelines for the 2026-2027 school year are expected to be released following the conclusion of these discussions. The department remains committed to returning the school opening to June, a move widely supported to avoid holding classes during the peak of the Philippine summer heat.